Optical sensors within an imaging device, such as printer, may be configured to scan print output and to detect flaws in the print quality. The importance of discovering such flaws is that many applications, adjustments may be made which result in improved future print quality. An example of such an adjustment is a correction that substitutes a working nozzle for a non-working nozzle in an inkjet application.
Additionally, in many cases print quality may be improved by attending to maintenance items in a timely manner, i.e. prior to print quality degradation. Where this priority offsets an associated cost, an imaging device may be designed to include additional sensors which monitor such maintenance items. However, the combined cost of sensors configured to scan print output and detect flaws in print quality and additional sensors configured to scan maintenance items may be excessive.
An imaging device includes an optical sensor carried by a print carriage. An optical guide has an input end in optical alignment with a maintenance item and has an output end in optical alignment with a location to which the optical sensor may be moved by the print carriage.